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Sunday, November 13, 2011

Just Returned from the Big Show

It's been over a decade since I last attended the Tulsa Arms Show. If you've never been, you should put it on your bucket list if you have even a smidgen of interest in guns and gear. I didn't realize it, but the show is touted as being the world's largest gun show and I'm inclined to believe that claim after spending 6 hours walking the show yesterday.

I met a Tulsa local friend and fellow gun nut at 10 am yesterday. We browsed non-stop until 1:30pm when we finally took a breather for a BBQ plate. After our 15 minute break we were back out on the floor until we finally called it quits at 4:00 pm so we could meet up with some other locals for drinks, dinner, and cigars.

Notable things I saw included a $64,500 Holland and Holland double rifle what was just sitting out on a table along with the other Parker shotguns and high dollar fine English doubles. Just having the chance to walk that series of tables and drink in all that fine walnut and custom engraving was well worth the $10 admission price. I also spent some time walking the "Ruger Wall" which was a collection of displays put up by the Ruger Collectors' Association. Again, this series of displays was worth the price of admission. I'd love to show you pictures from the show, but there is a strict no pictures policy posted at the entrance. You'll just have to take my word for how good the show is until you have the chance to experience it for yourself.

I went to the show with a goal of finding a Ruger 77/22 in .22 LR, but I didn't see very many of them on the floor. I estimate we walked 50% of the aisles and really only looked at about 25% of the tables in great detail. There were a few things that caught my eye, but I was able to resist temptation and not rush into a purchase I might regret later on. I did make a fantastic deal with my buddy that I walked the show with. That deal would never have happened if we didn't spend 6 hours talking with each other during the show as I had no idea he wanted to sell something that I really wanted, but he didn't bring it along with him to the show. So I can cross one more off my wish list.